South Korea investigates whether North involved in ship sinking

A South Korean warship sank on Friday killing dozens of sailors after an
explosion ripped a hole in its stern close to the disputed maritime border
with North Korea.

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Family members of South Korean Navy crews weep as they wait to board a ship to go Baeknyeong island in Incheon port, South KoreaPhoto: AP

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South Korean naval shipsPhoto: EPA

By Rob Crilly

6:42PM GMT 26 Mar 2010

The government in Seoul convened an emergency meeting of security ministers as officials investigated whether a North Korean torpedo attack was responsible.

Earlier in the day, North Korea's military threatened "unpredictable strikes," including a nuclear attack, in anger over a report that South Korea and the US were preparing for possible instability in the totalitarian country.

Last night six naval ships and two coast guard vessels were deployed to rescue survivors among the 104-strong crew.

More than 50 sailors were plucked alive from the Yellow Sea near Baengnyeong island but fears were growing for the safety of the others.

The stretch of water has been the scene of deadly clashes between the rivals in the past and tensions have grown in recent months.

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A second South Korean vessel opened fire on an unidentified target to the north shortly after the explosion, amid fears the explosion was caused by a torpedo strike, according to the country's Yonhap news agency.

However, the target turned out to be a flock of birds, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said.

The 1500-ton Cheonan began sinking at about 21.45 local time (1245 GMT).

"The ship appears to have begun sinking after an explosion at the rear of the ship," said the South Korean Navy in a statement. "We have been unable to find the exact cause of the incident as of this moment."

A government source told YTN television that officials were investigating several possible causes, including an attack by a North Korean torpedo boat, a mine or an explosion of munitions aboard the ship.

The explosion took place near a disputed Yellow Sea maritime border off the west coast of the peninsula that was the scene of two deadly naval fights between the rival Koreas in the past decade.

Last November the two navies exchanged fire in the area for the first time in seven years. Seoul's officials said a North Korean patrol boat had retreated in flames but its casualties were unknown. No South Koreans were hurt.

In January the North fired 370 artillery shells into the sea near the border, raising tensions between the two sides.

The North refuses to accept the maritime frontier known as the Northern Limit Line, which was drawn up by United Nations forces after the 1950-53 Korean War. It says the line should run further to the south.

The latest incident comes as destitute North Korea, led by Kim Jong-il, is facing pressure to end its year-long boycott of international nuclear disarmament talks, where it can win aid to prop up its broken economy in exchange for reducing the security threat it poses to the region.

It withdrew from talks last year after widespread condemnation of a long-range missile launch.